China has launched a satellite short-message communication service based on the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), aimed at providing reliable communication during emergencies when ground mobile networks are unavailable. The initiative was introduced by China Space-Time Information Co., Ltd. in partnership with major telecom operators.
The service enables users with compatible smartphones to send and receive text messages directly through BeiDou satellites in remote areas such as mountains, oceans, and disaster-affected regions. It is designed to support emergency response, disaster relief coordination, and safety communication.
China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom have integrated the feature into their services, allowing subscribers to activate it without changing SIM cards or phone numbers. Nearly 60 smartphone models from leading Chinese brands already support the new satellite messaging capability.
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